Delivering Marick Expertise to the World of STEM

June 21, 2016

Over the past few weeks, Marick Group has put the spotlight on STEM and our ties to this important topic. We’ve also highlighted some of the clients we work with that have STEM-based initiatives, such as the FAA, and their work related to the STEM AVSED (Aviation and Space Education) program and activities like Real World Design Challenge and ACE Academy.

In 2014, Marick Group was tapped to work with the FAA and support their STEM AVSED program on multiple levels. The mission of the program, which was established in 1961, is to provide STEM-based educational outreach to students and educators, with the goal of inspiring the next generation of aviation/aerospace workers.

When Marick was brought on board, the STEM AVSED program was supported by 11 project managers (FAA employees) in 9 different regions throughout the United States. STEM AVSED was supervised by a National Program Manager (NPM) who had oversight of the regionally managed STEM AVSED operations. The FAA announced that the program would transition from a regionally-run program under one line of business, to an employee-based program under another line of business. This is when Marick was tapped to offer their expertise.

Since then, Marick has supported the program and the NPM on many different levels. As you can imagine, transitioning a regionally-run program at a federal government agency to a centralized, employee-driven program that over 47,000 FAA workers can participate in, is no simple task.

Strategic Planning

Marick first developed a high-level Transition Plan for moving STEM AVSED from one line of business to another. We worked directly with the NPM to define key parts of the Transition Plan, which centered primarily around FAA policies and procedures, curriculum development and communications – both internal and external.

Policies & Procedures

The organizational structure of the STEM AVSED program is mapped out through a variety of FAA policies and procedures. As part of the transition, these policies need updating. Marick is working closely with the FAA to update the program policies and procedures, which are documented through several SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding). The new STEM AVSED SOPs and MOUs will be housed on FAA's KSN (Knowledge Sharing Network) website, which we are also helping to update.

Curriculum Development

Another key area where Marick is providing expertise is Curriculum Development. Our team developed comprehensive web-based training, which will be available to the entire FAA workforce via their internal Learning Management System called eLMS. The curriculum is presented in several training modules that educate FAA employees on the key areas of STEM AVSED – its history and mission, information and training on how to get involved in program outreach, information for FAA supervisors regarding the benefits of STEM AVSED participation for employees, and how they can support the program.

Communications

Transitioning STEM AVSED to a centralized agency program based on employee participation requires new communications channels where employees can find what they need to get involved. Marick is currently in the final stages of developing a new internal website that will be accessible via MyFAA, the FAA’s internal website for all agency employees. The site will serve as the central hub for all things STEM AVSED – information about program structure, current programs, partnerships, and an outreach toolkit with resources for supporting STEM AVSED programs and activities. We are also working closely with the FAA Office of Communication to develop an internal communications strategy for promoting the new site once it’s launched this September.

Last but not least, in 2015 Marick helped launch a new STEM AVSED external website. This website is the go-to resource for students, parents and educators to learn more about STEM AVSED. The site features new targeted content for students and educators, a new site structure for a better user experience, and a new site design that reflects FAA’s current technical requirements.

More about FAA’s STEM AVSED Program

Marick is proud to be part of the team for STEM AVSED’s monumental transition! You can learn more about STEM AVSED program by visiting the FAA website.

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Marick Group is a go-to trusted advisor in the talent management and business execution software space. With unparalleled industry knowledge and the right mix of planning, strategy and execution, we deliver customized solutions that perfectly fit our clients’ needs.

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